Uncoupling mechanism



June 10,1941.

W. J. METZGER UNCOUPLING MECHANISM Filed Dec. 21, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR William J.

[Weft el A M ATTORNEY June 10,1941 I w E 2,245,044

UNCOUPLING MECHANISM Fild Dec}. 21, 1939 s Sheets-Sheet 2 INVEN'TOR W'llt'a m cl Meiger ATTORNEY June 10; 1941. w. J. METZGER "2,245,044

' UNCOUPLING MECHANIS I Filed Dec. 21, 1939 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR William efil lezz er ATTORNEY Patented June 10, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE UN COUPLING MECHANISM ApplicationDecember 21, 1939, Serial No. 310,452

10 Claims.

This invention relates to uncoupling mechanism for car couplers, particularly for rotary operation of couplers of standard type.

It is an object of my invention to provide a new and improved link member which cooperates with the rotor lever of the coupler and the bail of the uncoupling mechanism in such a manner that there is no binding between the link and bail even when the coupler is in extreme laterally angled positions.

Another object is to provide a link member for uncoupling mechanism which effectively cooperates with the associated parts thereof to permit easy action during the uncoupling operation and which cannot be accidently detached therefrom.

A further object is to provide a novel link member which permits construction of uncoupling mechanism which is particularly adapted for use in connection with a coupler having a wide lateral displacement and which is compact in a vertical direction to permit passage of the train service lines beneath the coupler.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the uncoupling mechanism, with the coupler knuckle in locked position.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the uncoupling mechanism showing the relation of the parts when the coupler knuckle is in thrown position.

Figure 3 is a front elevational view of the uncoupling mechanism, the coupler shank being shown in vertical section and the left hand uncoupling rod being broken away.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary front elcvational view of the uncoupling mechanism.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary View showing the link member incorrectly connected to the rotor lever.

Figure 6 is a plan view showing the relation of the link member to the bail when the link has been angled to an extreme position.

Figure 7 is a plan view of the link member.

Figure 8 shows the relative positions of the link member and rotor lever at the start of assembly of the parts.

Figure 9 is an isometric view of the link member.

Referring to the drawings there is shown a coupler Ill mounted on the car body II. The coupler is of standard type and is preferably mounted on the car frame in a manner to provide for lateral angular displacement thereof. The rotor lever I2 is pivotally connected to the coupler and has its upwardly extending arm l3 connected to the toggle member M. The lower portion of the rotor lever has an elongated opening 15 which receives one end of link member I6. The other end of the member is connected to the bail ll which is pivotally connected to the car body by means of brackets I8. An uncoupling rod IQ for actuating the bail is provided at each end thereof so that the mechanism may be operated from either side of the car. Each rod is pivotally connected to the car body by means of a bracket 20 and terminates in a handle 2|.

Link member I6 is formed with an end portion 25 having an elongated slot 26 which receives the horizontal portion 21 of the bail. In normal position of the uncoupling mechanism, with the knuckle closed, the end 25 of the link member is supported by the bail. The sidewalls 28, of slot 26 diverge toward the end of the link so as to provide for greater freedom of action between the bail and the link during angling of the coupler. In addition the curved surface 29 of the outer end of the slot is rounded as at 30 to prevent binding of that surface on the bail. At the other end of the link there is provided a trunnion portion 3| which is received in opening l5 of the rotor lever to impart lifting movement to the latter. This trunnion extends at right angles to a flange 32 which projects from end portion 25. Extending from the end of trunnion 3| and. substantially perpendicularly thereto is an arm 33 which in conjunction with flange 32 precludes accidental transverse displacement of the link from the rotor lever, as canbe clearly seen in Figures 3 and 4. It will be noted that trunnion 3| is in line with the longitudinal center line of slot 26 so that lifting effort will always be directed in substantially a straight line from the bail to the trunnion. Extending from flange 32, and on the side opposite from trunnion 3|, is a flange 34 which, as will be later apparent precludes incorrect assembly of the link with rotor lever 12, and the bail. Moreover flange 34 assists in maintaining the link assembled with the rotor lever particularly when the parts have become worn.

A feature of the link resides in the limited amount of lateral angling possible between the link and the rotor lever so as to prevent binding of the link on the bail during lateral displacement of the coupler. This feature is illustrated in Figure 6 where the link has been angled laterally to the greatest extent possible. Angular movement of the link is limited in this position by trunnion 3| which engages the rotor lever at 35 and by portion 36 of arm 33 which overhangs trunnion 3i and forms a shoulder which engages the side of the rotor lever. It will be observed that in this position of the link there is ample clearance between the bail and surface 31 of slot 26 so that there can be no binding therebetween. When the link is angled laterally in the opposite direction, its movement is also limited as before to a position in which there is substantial clearance between th bail and surface 3'5. In order that the link and bail remain in the same positions with respect to one another throughout the range of lateral angling of the coupler the ball is curved along an are having its center of curvature coincident with that about which the coupler pivots. Thus it is seen that the link can never move to a position in which surfaces 30 and 3'! will contact the bail at the same time, with the result that the link can move freely along the bail during angling of the coupler in either direction.

In assembling the mechanism the link and rotor lever are connected first. The relative positions of the link and the rotor lever at the start of assembly are shown in Fig. 8, With the portion 46 of the lever extending into the opening 4| between flange 34 and arm 33. The link is next rotated until trunnion 3| extends through opening [5 of the lever. The bail is then inserted through slot 2S of the link after which both the bail and the uncoupling rods may be connected to the car body.

The functioning of flange 34 in case the link is incorrectly applied to the rotor lever is clearly illustrated in Fig. 5. In such a case the end of the link containing the slot 26 cannot be raised sufiiciently so as to permit the bail to be connected to the link. The end of flange 34 engages the rib 42 of the rotor lever as at 43 so that slot 26 remains an appreciable distance from the central portion of the ball the position of which is represented by the dot-dash circle 44.

In operation of the mechanism as the bail is actuated by the uncoupling rod, portion 21 of the bail engages the inner surface 31 of slot 26 of the link, causing trunnion 3! to be moved into engagement with upper surface 45 of opening l5 of the rotor lever and effecting rotation thereof. As raising of the bail continues the rotor lever is rotated until either lock set or knuckle thrown position has been reached, as may be desired.

The terms andexpressions which I have employed are used as terms of description and not of limitation, and I have no intention, in the use of such terms and expressions, of excluding any equivalents of the features shown and described or portions thereof, but recognize that various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention claimed.

What I claim is:

1. An uncoupling mechanism for car couplers comprising a rotor lever pivotally mounted on the coupler, a pivotally mounted bail, a link member pivotally connected at one end to said lever and having a slot in the other end receiving said ball, and means on said member engageable with said lever and positively limiting horizontal angling of said link with respect to said ball to prevent movementof said member to a position in which the latter Will bind on said ball during horizontal angling of the coupler.

2. An uncoupling mechanism for car couplers comprising a rotor lever pivotally mounted on the coupler, a pivotally mounted ball, a substantially horizontal link member having a slot at one end receiving said ball and a horizontal trunnion at its other end for pivotally connecting said link to said lever, and means on said member adjacent said lever positively limiting horizontal angling of said member with respect to said lever to prevent binding of said member on said bail during horizontal angling of the coupler.

3. An uncoupling mechanism for car couplers comprising a rotor lever pivotallymounted on the coupler, a pivotally mounted ball, a link member having a trunnion at one end adapted to be assembled with said lever by movement of said link member about the longitudinal axis thereof and a slot at the other end of said link member for receiving said ball, and means extending from said trunnion and cooperating therewith to positively limit horizontal angling of said member with respect to said lever to prevent binding of said member on said bail during horizontal angling of the coupler.

4. An uncoupling mechanism for car couplers comprising a rotor lever pivotally mounted on the coupler, a pivotally mounted bail, a link member pivotally connected at one end to said lever and having a slot in the other end receiving said bail, means on said member positively limiting horizontal angling thereof with respect to said bail to prevent movement of said member to a position in which the latter will bind on said bail during horizontal angling of the coupler, and means on said member engageable with said lever adapted to prevent incorrect assembly of said member and lever.

5. An uncoupling mechanism for car couplers comprising a rotor lever pivotally mounted on the coupler, a pivotally mounted bail, and a link member operatively connecting said bail and lever and adapted to transmit lifting movement from said bail to said lever to effect uncoupling, said member comprising a slotted portion at one end thereof receiving said bail, and means at the other end pivotally connecting said member to said lever, said means having portions engageable with said lever adapted to positively limit horizontal angling of said member with respect to said lever to prevent binding of said member on said bail during horizontal angling of the coupler.

6. An uncoupling mechanism for car couplers comprising a rotor lever pivotally mounted on the coupler, a pivotally mounted bail, and a link member operatively connecting said bail and lever and adapted to transmit lifting movement from said bail to said lever to effect uncoupling, said member comprising a slotted portion at one end thereof receiving said bail, pivot means at the other end adapted to be assembled with said lever by rotary movement of said link about its longitudinal axis, and means depending from the first named means adapted to cooperate with said lever to positively limit horizontal angling of said member with respect to said lever to prevent binding of said member on said bail during horizontal angling of the coupler,

'7. In an uncoupling mechanism a coupler pivotally mounted for movement in a horizontal plane, a pivotally mounted rotor lever on the bottom of saidcoupler, a pivotally mounted bail,

a link joining said lever and bail, said link being adapted to slide along said bail during pivotal movement of said coupler, and engageable means on said lever and link for positively limiting lateral pivotal movement of said link relative to said lever during said sliding movement along said bail.

8. In an uncoupling mechanism a coupler pivotally mounted for movement in a horizontal plane, a pivotally mounted rotor lever on the bottom of said coupler, a link between said lever and bail, said link having an elongated slot at one end receiving said bail and an integral trunnion at the opposite end entering a hole in said lever, and means on said trunnion adapted to engage said lever for positively limiting pivotal movement of said link in a direction transversely to a longitudinal vertical plane passing through said lever.

9. A link for an uncoupling mechanism having a slotted portion at one end adapted to receive a bail, a trunnion at the other end of said link for pivotal connection thereof to a rotor lever, and a'plurality of flanges extending from the trunnion end of said link, said flanges and trunnion being constructed and arranged to form a rectangularly-shaped loop having an opening therein adapted to receive a portion of the rotor lever during assembly of the latter with said link.

10. A link member for uncoupling mechanism operatively connecting a bail and a rotor lever, said link comprising a slotted portion at one end and a flange extending from said slotted portion, a trunnion extending from said flange, an arm extending from said trunnion perpendicularly thereto, and another flange extending toward said arm from said first named flange on the side opposite from said trunnion.

WILLIAM J. METZGER. 

